Locomotive boiler



1,667,112 C. G. HAWLEY LocoMoTIvE OILER April 24, 1928.

Filed April 8. 1926 Patented Apr. Z4, 1928. l y i' UNITED- jsTA'rEsPATENT oFF1cE.-

CrrARLEs 'GILBnR-r RAWILEY, or CLEVELA A Nn, HIQ'ASSIGNCR ToLoCoMoTIvEFIRE- Box COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, a CORPORATION oF DELAWARE.

LOCOMOTIVE BOILER. l f

appncatioalaicdnpm s, i926., serial Nq. `100,482.4

This invention relatesto improvements in locomotive boilers and itconsists of the matters hereinafter.'described and more particularlypointed lout. in the Vappended `Claims. The primary object of theinvention is to provide a simpleyand efficient means direct# lyassociated with'the crown sheet and. flue sheet of they boiler whichoperates in that part of the fall in boiler-waterlevel, initiallyuncovering or exposing apart of said crown sheet adjacent theiiuesheet,'to limit the same to an area which lissafe in .pra-ca tice butwill act to permit aleakage of a small amount of steam into the firebox,suiir cient to be observedin the nstoking of the lirebox, therebyinforming theeireman of the actual Awater vlevel in the boilerirrespective of 'the level indicated by the usual water gages. s v

Ak further object of the invention Yisto provide in the crown sheet,between4 predetermined rows of g l Y extend longitudinally of the crownsheet and act as the water level'falls to `uncover the high spot or headof the crown sheet at the flue sheet end to limit such lspot .or area toone of small dimensionsl and about.l the stay bolts of which steam,escapes into thefirebox to be observed Vby the one 'stokingjthe kireboX.

These objectsof the invention as well as others, together with the manyadvantages thereof will more fully appear as I proceed with myspecification.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view throughthe firebox end of a locomotive boiler embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the same as taken on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale as.taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional View as taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 3. f

ReferringV now in Vdetail to that embodiment of the inventionillustrated in the accompanyingfdrawings -1 indicates the back or doorsheet of the iirebox and 2 indicates the flue sheet thereof and forminga continuation of the flue sheet, is the inside throat sheet 3. Thesides of the firebox are formed by the side sheets 4 4 and the top ofthe firebox is vformed bythe transversely arched or curved crown sheet 5which stayV bolts channels which merges into the fireboxy side sheets 44. Said lside sheets andcrown Sheet extend between and are connected attheir ends to the back sheet 4land flue and throat sheets 2 and 3respectively', the crown vsheet being inclined upwardly from the backsheet toward the 'flue sheetso that its highest end orhead 6 is at theflue vsheet end thereof. f

n `The wrapper iof the boiler includes a roof sheet 7, a back head 8,outeriirebox sheets 9-9 and an outer throat sheet 10 togetherA with aboiler shell 11, all in the manner well known. The front and rearwaterlegs y12 and 13, and the side water legs 14-14 are all: closed at thebottom by a mud ring 15 while the bottom of the firebox is formed by thegrate indicated by the dotted line 16`in Fig. 1., In the back head andback sheet respectively is formed the fuel door opening 17 and extendingforwardly 'from the flue sheet@ are the fluesl or tubes 18 throughrwhich the products of combustion from'the rebox 4are drawn to the smokebox at the'front end lof the boiler (not shown) in the manner wellknown. The roof sheet and crown sheet are connected by the usual staybolts l throat sheets 3anrd 10\and back sheets 1 and. 8 respectively.The construction justv described-'isl typical of' that type oflocomotive boiler now in general use and need not be described ingreater detail.

In locomotive practice the usual water level desired to be maintained,is such as to keep the'crown sheet submerged at all times. However, duetothe amount of water generated into steam for the intended purpose ofthelocomotive, the water level (falls.

cate the levels of the water but such devices 19 as arethe side sheets 4and 9,

are often inaccurate, not always due to any Y faulty constructiontherein, but to certain boiler conditions such as su'rgings andfoamings` which will produce in the gage glasses, levels which do notcorrespond to the actual water level in the boiler. When the real waterlevel falls below that point, good locomotive practice demands be.maintained, the first part of the crown sheet to be un covered thereby,is that point ofhighest elevation and which point is usually the head 6of the crown sheet, which is located in the longitudinal median plane ofthe transversely curved crown sheet. Such a level as will uncover orexpose this part of the 'A crown sheet is best indicated at 20 in Figs.

l and 4.

To maintain or limit. the uncovered or dry area of the crown sheet toone of as small dimensions as possible, I form in the crown sheet,longitudinal V-shaped chalinels 21H21, one on each side of and adjacentthe median plane of the crown sheet, said channels increasing in widthand depth from the rear toward the front where each channel terminatesin an inclined front wall 22 adjacent the crown sheet, the bottom ofeach channel being arranged in a horizontal plane. A conduit or shortpipe section 23 arranged in the tireboX, opens through the front endwall of each channel and flue sheet as best shown in Fig. 4.

As the water level recedes so as to uncover the head end of the crownsheet, where it is highest in elevation, the lateral edges of saiduncovered and dry spot will be delined by portions of the channels whichare filled with water, the conduits 23 preventing the trapping of thewater at the front end of each channel andpermitting a bettercirculation of boiler water in this vicinity. The front end of said dryspot is delined by the front edge of the crown sheet, the rear edge of'the dry area is delined by the water edge as best shown in Fig. 3 sothat said dry spot is one of such area as may be uncovered with safety.1

That part of the crown sheet, thus uncovered becomes exceedingly hot andwill flex inwardly of the ireboX, thus pulling away from the stay bolts19 within said dry spot or area so that steam will escape in smallquantities about said stay bolts into the fireboX. Such a condition isinstantly visualized by the fireman who will feed more water into theboiler to submerge the crown sheet head. lith the entire crown sheetsubmerged the danger of complete-fracture thereot'is eliminated but thelocomotive is withdrawn from service at the lirst opportunity.

The channels in the crown sheet not only thus act to deline or limit thesides of said dry area but at the same time act to rigidit'y the crownsheet as is apparent.

iVhile in describing my invention I have referred to'certain 'details'ofconstruction as well as form and arrangement of the parts thereof,A I donot wish to'be limited thereto except as'may be pointed out in .theappended claims.

I claim as my invention Y l. A locomotive boiler embodying therein, afirebox including a crown sheet and a flue sheet, said crownshe'et'being formed lo provide channels'therein terminating short of the'Hue sheet and a conduit opening at one end into the channel and at itsother end through the Aflue' sheet.

2. A locomotive boiler embodying therein, a iireboX including astaybolted crown sheet and a flue sheet, said crown sheet being formed toprovide longitudinal channels therein between adjacentrows of staybolts, which channels increase in width and depth from the rear towardthe front where they terminate in an inclined front wall adjacent theflue sheet and a conduit fixed at its ends in the front wallof eachchannel and in said flue sheet respectively. y i* In testimony whereof,I have hereunto set my hand, this 5th day of April, 1926.

` CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY.

